I am Mitt Romney, and I Approve this Deceitful Message (UPDATED)

In his first TV ad of the 2012 presidential campaign, Mitt Romney inserts a voice clip of Obama mocking his 2008 presidential campaign opponent, John McCain, for not wanting to talk about the economy.

What Obama said during an Oct. 16, 2008 speech at a Londonderry, N.H., campaign stop, was this: “Senator McCain’s campaign actually said, and I quote, ‘If we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.'”

In the Romney TV ad, which President Obama’s reelection campaign calls “a deceitful and dishonest attack,” Obama is heard saying only the part: “If we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose,” thus intentionally and deceitfully making it sound as if Obama is talking about his own chances in 2012.

Sure, at the very beginning of the 60-second clip there is a brief screen statement referring to the 2008 New Hampshire visit.

Sure, the Romney campaign says that it addresses the issue in a press release and blog post accompanying the TV ad.

But how many people will read the press release; how many will read the blog post? Yet, how many will just view the TV ad intentionally and falsely attributing a 2008 McCain campaign quote to Obama and believe that Obama is talking about the present campaign, because at the end of the ad Romney approves the message — a message that, coming from a presidential candidate, is supposed to be a truthful and honest one.

Watch the full ad:

Romney image: Christopher Halloran / Shutterstock.com

UPDATE:

The Romney campaign has defended this blatantly dishonest campaign tactic as “not out of bounds.” Thus, ThinkProgress has created this completely in-bounds “advertisement” quoting Romney, in his own words.

There is one huge difference:

Romney’s ad was presented to Americans as the truth. ThinkProgress clearly presents theirs as satire:

The ad is certainly deceitful, making it sound as though Obama does not want to talk about the economy.

SteveK

The Republican Candidates (& the entire leadership of the Republican Party) have been lying for so long they no longer know how to tell the truth.

The candidates have to lie because “there’s no there there” with any of them. The leadership has to lie because they’ve been convinced that the ultra radical 10% of the party is their base.

That’s why normal, reasonable, rational Republicans have been steadily leaving the party and becoming independents.

They lied to the American People in 2010 and got away with it but they’ve been so openly blatant about it the last two years that the American People have finally caught on to who and what they are… This doesn’t not bode well for Republican prospects in 2012.

JSpencer

Nothing republicans will do surprises me anymore. Nothing.

roro80

JSpencer — me too. Until the next time, that is, when the would-be leaders of the free world do something even more craven, stupid, or morally bankrupt. I’ve been saying I can’t be surprised anymore since Bush’s first day, and I’m always wrong. 🙁

labman57

Once again, Republican politicians and pundits demonstrate that when reality conflicts with their (frequently irrational and hyperbolic) rhetoric, they opt to ignore reality.

Romney and the other GOP candidates really don’t give a crap whether their talking points are factually accurate — all that matters is whether they can successfully sell their tripe to the American voting public.

The character and ethical conduct of candidates on the campaign trail is likely a reflection of the manner in which they would run the Executive Branch should they be elected POTUS. If they blatantly lie so easily in order to garner a few votes, they will no doubt conduct themselves in a similar unethical, Machiavellian manner when promoting public policy while in the White House.

slamfu

Good luck making this spin your way Mitt, and its a pretty dumb way to kick off a bid against one of the most savvy campaigners out there. The internet and Obama’s team are going to ram this one back down Romney’s throat.